Beauty Look | Swatching L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Matte Lipsticks - Summer Friendly Lips

It's been a minute since I have shared anything on the blog. Lots has been going on personally and therefore I needed to take a much needed break. I'm happy to start sharing things on the blog again :)

So, what better way then to start my return to blogging than to share a beauty look post! In my opinion, one of the easiest ways to change your look is with Lipstick! It's easy, and you can choose how bold you go.

I picked a few of my faves from the L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Matte Lipsticks! It's a mix of some fun shades that work well seasonally, especially for the Summer!

The lipsticks I chose are:

1. 711 - At The Drop of a Matte 
2. 712 - Matte Mandate
3. 707 - Matte-Jestic
4. 703 - Matte-Moiselle Pink
5. 402 - Devil's Matte-Vocate Red

SWATCH PICS:

711 - At The Drop of a Matte - Shade: Bright/Light Purple

712 - Matte Mandate - Shade: Bright Magenta

707 - Matte-Jestic - Shade: Deep Plum

703 - Matte-Moiselle - Shade: Soft Peachy Pink

403 - Devil's Matte-Vocate Red - Shade: Deep Red

These lipsticks are super matte, so if you want a smoother way to apply them, add a bit of Vaseline or Chapstick on your lips before you apply. This will help by making it a smoother application.

Hope you get to try these on for the summer!

Makeup Love | The Wet n Wild #PhotoFocus Foundation - Natural looking foundation for combination skin!

Instagram made me do it! This is the foundation that Instagram beauty influencers told me to buy! Truthfully, I am glad I did!

Through my makeup counter experience, I have been lucky to have had an opportunity to test out a number of makeup from low end to high end brands. What I have learned is that, High end doesn't always mean it's the best for you or that you will even like wearing it.

I always stress that you have to figure out what works for you and what makes you feel your best.

There are 4 things you check off when you look for a foundation:

1. Coverage and how long it lasts
2. Texture of Product
3. The appearance of it on your skin (Skin Tone match and Finish)
4. Price 

For me, Wet N Wild PhotoFocus Foundation checks off as follows:

1. Medium Coverage and wears through the day well
2. Liquid and light weight
3. Looks like skin and melts into my skintone (Dark Skin Friendly)
4. Under 10 Bucks (Yep, it's $7.00 from Walmart.ca)

Seriously, you can't get a better foundation at this price! Especially when it checks off in the other categories as well. The foundation is awesome on coverage, finish and price!

I have been using this foundation for a few months now and it's definitely the one I reach for the most. (I have 3 Foundations - For light weight use, Medium coverage and 1 that is party friendly ie. Long wear).

For those who are just looking to have the 1 foundation to use, because they want a simple and easy routine, this a great option as well.

Why it's great:

• It wears well and you don't need a lot
• Blends into your skin tone and literally disappears 
• Comes in a number of different undertones (Warm, Cool and Neutral)
• A good range of shades for your skin
• Applies well with Sponge, Brush or Fingers (Clean fingers please)

I picked mine up from Walmart and the shade I got is called 'Desert Beige'. I did my research on a number of Instagram beauty influencers and then opted to buy it. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

Things to Remember:

• Always use a little to start and blend
• Not everyone has to wear their makeup the same way it's shown on Instagram
• Find the technique or application style that works for you

If you have tried the Wet n Wild #Photofocus foundation, or have picked it up, please leave me your thoughts below! In an upcoming post, I will share a #Makeup look with me wearing this foundation :)

Beauty Look | Anastasia Beverly Hills Palette - Cool Mauve #Makeup Look - #ModernRenaissance Eyeshadow Palette

In the past, for me to be able to achieve a cool toned eyeshadow look, on my skin tone was challenging. The reason it would be difficult is that either the shadows weren't pigmented enough or I had to layer a lot of primer/concealer to get the shadows to look right.

Even though at first glance, the Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance palette looks like a warmer palette, there are a few colours in the palette, that allowed me to create this cool mauve look.

Check it out below!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Palette & Makeup Used

• Lid: Tempera
• Crease: Warm Taupe & Buon Fresco
• Mid Lid: Buon Fresco
• Outer Corner: Cyprus Umber
• Inner to Mid Lid: Vermeer (Mixed with Fluid Sheer #8)
• Lashline: Buon Fresco & Warm Taupe
• Outer Corner Lashline: Cyprus Umber
• Mascara: L'Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara
• Liner: L'Oreal Lineur Intense & MAC Cosmetics Feline Eye Pencil
• Foundation: Maybelline FitMe Foundation Shade 315
• Concealer: Maybelline Fit Me Concealer
• Blush: Fluid Sheer #8
• Highlight: Fenty Beauty Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter Girl Next Door/Chic Phreak
• Lips: Maybelline 665 Lust For Blush Matte Lipstick with Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb

Really like how this look came together! I loved how I could use the duo ended brush that comes with this palette to do all of the eyeshadow application. More looks to come!

Product Love | My #Fenty Beauty Obsession

Obsession doesn't even begin to describe how I felt about this makeup launch. There have been countless makeup launches that I have seen or I have been a part of, but nothing could have prepared me for what Fenty Beauty was about to do. The industry was going to be shook, and guess what? It has been, but in the best way possible!

For me, whenever I see that a celebrity or a pop culture influencer is putting their name behind a makeup line, I tend to take it with a grain of salt. What I mean by this, is that there are a lot of questions that I want to know answers to when it comes to the makeup line, as follows:

1. How involved is the celebrity with the development of the line? Rihanna was very involved
2. What products are they starting their launch with? Full Collection
3. Where is the launch taking place? Online or In-Store or Both? Both
4. Being in Canada, is this something that will be available here? Yes :)
5. Product quality/validity of Social Media hype? Worth the hype

I ventured to Sephora at Yorkdale and was happy to discover they had the Fenty collection! They also had stock of the popular items and even had an event centred around the launch. I was happy to see that it was FULL Collection, a long list of foundation shades with various undertones, therefore you WILL find your match.

I was able to be colour matched on the fly by 2 very lovely Sephora associates and was able to get my foundation shade. From this point forward, everything was a Blur, I literally picked up #errrythang I could get my hands on, but reason got the best of me. Therefore I went over to the centre of the store and sat down to see what made sense for me. Basically, I had to decide what is going home with me and what was going to stay behind :(

Below you will see my original list of products I was thinking of getting and what I actually ended up getting:

• ProFiltr Foundation
• Foundation Brush
• Highlighting Brush
• Fenty Sponge
• Primer
• Highlight Duo
• Trophy Wife Highlighter
• Matchstix Trio
• Lip Gloss
• Blotting Paper
• Blotting Powder

Here is what I ended up getting:

• ProFiltr Foundation
• Pro Filtr Instant Retouch Primer
• Killawatt Freestyle Highlight Duo in Girl Next Door and Chic Phreak
• Killawatt Freestyle Highlight in Trophy
• Gloss Bomb

Can we obsess on how ahhhmazing the Trophy Wife highlighter is???

I will do a review on the collection in terms of cost, feedback on the products as well as do a Makeup Breakdown in a future post for this Fenty inspired makeup look that I did above.

It's been a while but I am glad I got to share with you my product love this week!

Product Love | Tarte Cosmetics #TarteistProPalette

If there was ever a makeup product that got rave reviews on Social Media, I pretty much went to the store and would buy it without question. Now, I take a bit more time to research, which I think is super important to do before spending any money.

If possible, take the time to see, swatch and play with a product prior to purchase. (This should be the case at most major retailers). I am happy to say that I compared 2 very gorgeous eyeshadow palettes that were launched around the same time. The winner for me was this baby right here: The Tarte Cosmetics #Tarteist Pro Palette!

Why I Love It:

• A mix of Matte and Shimmery finishes
• Loved the warmer and red toned shades 
• 20 Shades (16 Matte + 4 Shimmers)
• Beautiful packaging
• Travel friendly

My only concern was that the matte shadows would be a bit too powdery or ashy during application, but using the right brushes truly makes a difference and I had no problems!

Here are a few Makeup looks that I have done so far using this palette! FYI - I have been choosing this as my go-to Eyeshadow palette pretty much everyday!

One of my fave purchases so far! The price is $68 CDN, so it's on the higher price point side, but if you were to break it down to a per shadow cost, it works out to: $3.40 (Not to bad) :)

One of my fave things about this palette is the colour blocked effect for ideas on which shadows to wear together and the versatility to create literally a million eyeshadow combos!

I picked up mine from Sephora and got myself a few cute Makeup samples, which has worked out well, because I have found thee best Waterproof Black eye pencil! I will also share 4 Makeup looks using the colour row options! Stay tuned :)

Happy Shopping!

Beauty Look | #NYE Evening Glam Look - Featuring the #Tarteist Pro Palette

Here is another makeup inspiration that is a take on a #NYE Evening Glam look! This is a softer yet glam makeup look that uses a classic smokey eye with soft shimmer on top! This was a fun look to do because it was a mix of neutral colours as well as colour shimmers. To balance the look, I paired it with a Neutral medium toned Pink Lip.

This looks features the Tarteist™ Pro Palette which  I am sooooo happy that I bought! I love that the majority of the palette has Matte shades, with 4 really pretty duo/chrome/shimmer shades. The blue shimmer shade inspired me to do this #NYE Evening Glam Makeup Look!

PRODUCTS USED:

Face

• Laura Mercier Hydrating Foundation Primer
• Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation Shade 8
• Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer in Shade 2
• Maybelline Superstay Better Skin Concealer in Medium 40
• Laura Mercier Universal Setting Powder
• NYX Highlight & Contour Pro Palette
• Giorgio Armani Cheek Fabric in Shade Blush

Eyes

• Tarteist Pro Amazonian Clay Palette for Eyes
• Lid - Vintage
• Crease - Fierce & Vamp
• Transition - No Filter
• Brow Bone - Classic
• Mid/Outer Lid - Trendy & Minx
• NYX Cosmetics Matte Liquid Liner
• YSL Couture Kajal in Shade 3
• Giorgio Armani High-Precision Brow Pencil in Shade 1
• Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara in Black Pearl

Lips

• NYX Butter Gloss in Shade Merengue
• Giorgio Armani Rouge D'Armani Lipstick in Shade 500
• Beautique Lip Pencil in Mocha

This look has a lot more drama on the eyes, but overall with a softer lip it's a great #NYE look for date night or a party at home :) Be daring and try something different, this is the one day of the year where there is no such thing as "too much".

Happy #NYE!

Product Love | My Daily #Foundation Tag Team :)

 

For the last few years, these two Giorgio Armani products have been my daily go-to when it comes to foundation! Now truthfully, Giorgio Armani beauty products are on the higher end when it comes to the price point, but the pay off is a good quality finish on the skin.

The Luminous Silk Foundation by Giorgio Armani, is perfect for everyday wear because it mimics radiant skin once you wear it. A few drops (dime size amount is the max) is all you need. This is not something you want to cake on, because it's not needed. Unless you prefer a full face, you can achieve it, however, this foundation is meant to give you a healthy glow, therefore, the "less is more" rule works best.

This Foundation is great for:

• Everyday wear
• Bridal Makeup
• Boosting your skin's complexion
• Medium to full coverage

Fluid Sheer by Giorgio Armani I have raved about non stop already. It's gorgeous, light, shimmery and natural looking but you can also intensify the glow you want. I also like that in the summer, I can use it to add warmth to my foundation shade! It comes in a range of shades and my top 3 are Shades #2, #10 and #11.

Fluid Sheer is great for:

• Mixing with your Foundation
• Putting it on as a sheer glow all over
• Spot Glowing highlight
• Primer for eye makeup

If you want to treat yourself, than definitely invest in these goodies from Giorgio Armani Beauty! They are worth the extra $$ and your skin will look amazing!

Happy Glowing!

Beauty | Want glowing skin? or an epic Makeup Highlight? Keep reading ;)

Photo Courtesy:  https://ca.caudalie.com

This product is epic. The.End.

Seriously though...The Caudalie Divine Oil is legit. Multi-purpose product, good for your skin and there's more to love...

Caudalie Divine Oil:

• I can use it mixed with my Foundation (Always Giorgio Armani)
• I can use it as skincare (Apply it on cleansed skin, on days I am makeup free)
• I can use it on top of Makeup as a highlight (This is the EPIC portion of why I love it)
• It contains Antioxidants = Great for your skin
• Dry Oil which can be used on Face, Body and Hair

Now there are a million ways to highlight your face to achieve the ever popular "insta" glow, but if you are looking for something easy to use and can be worn naked on skin, this is the oil to try. BONUS POINT: It smells great!

Here is a pic of me using it on top of my makeup, right after I set it with Powder. I patted it on very lightly and then used my foundation brush with the same motion.

Check it out if you get a chance, worth it to add to your Skin AND Makeup routine!

Lifestyle | It's been awhile! Hair, Books & Makeup :)

Yes, I know, it has been awhile. Lots of changes in the start of the year that were super positive but also important things that took my time away from my blog. This doesn't mean I haven't been "cooking" on some new blog posts and fun things for everyone, just needed some time off the blog to live this thing called life.

Soooooo, here is what's been new with me and what's coming up on the blog....Take a look!

OMBRE/BALAYAGE

I finally took the plunge! I stayed in my comfort zone for the last few years by sporting dark(er) brown hair and took the leap to a golden/blonde ombre. Firstly, I'm not scared of colour since I used to colour my hair all sorts of colours and shades! But in the past few years, I got too comfortable (aka rut) and just rode out dark brown for as long as I could. Secondly, even though I am familiar with the whole process, I still am surprised to see my hair since I got used to seeing dark brown day in and day out. I love it and I feel more vibrant. Therefore, I would recommend anyone who's been sitting (safely) on the fence about changing their hair colour, just jump and do it! 

Here is my before and after:

This is a Phone pic, therefore not clear. Base is not that dark ;)

Interesting fact: Make up choices and typical go-to looks had to alter slightly, read more here on my blog post regarding changing your hair colour and changing your makeup: Click Here!

MY OWN PERSONAL BOOK CLUB
I love books and reading, and have finally committed to make a move to read through the high volume of books I have purchased/gifted in the last few years. I mean, I could be sleeping on potentially the best book I have ever read, but I don't know that because I haven't started to read them yet! I finally made the move and am doing pretty good so far.

Here the books that have been completed. (It's a list over 30 books, just saying!):

1. The Sweet Life by Dulce Candy - Great book if you are a beauty lover and in the business of blogging or would like to start a YouTube channel.

2. Inside the O'Briens by Lisa Genova - This book had me! I mean when you read a book and can actually picture yourself in the house and around the characters described in the book, it means it's a good book and well written! Lisa Genova is one of my fave authors and I have read 3 of her 4 books and I have not been disappointed. I will be adding the 4th one soon (Love Anthony) but need to get through my current unread books first!

3. Not that Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham - In progress - Loved her on her show the Girls, heard a lot about this book and love anything with reflection and wit! We shall see how it goes!

BLOG UPDATES:

1. New Product Reviews

2. My 1st Spa Review - Caudalie Skin Spa Facial

3. Spring/Summer Looks

No, I don't have SNAPCHAT but I LOVE the filters! :)

I am excited and re energized about blogging again. This winter was brutal but thankful for the Sunny days that have re-inspired me! Those who know me understand that I am thee happiest when I blog and I love and live for the makeup posts that I do and yes YouTube is coming, just needed more time to make it right!

Lots to come, thanks for checking in and keeping me inspired! :)